AlixaCrochet

Amigurumi for Beginners: Your First Bear

Five simple techniques are all you need to crochet a toy.

What you need

Smooth cotton or acrylic yarn in a light colour, a small hook, safety eyes, stuffing, stitch markers and a needle.

Step 1: Start with a magic ring

Wrap the yarn into a loop, work your stitches into it, then pull the tail to close the centre with no hole.

Step 2: Practise on a ball

Increase to 24 stitches, work 4 plain rounds, then decrease. Stuff it firmly while the opening is still wide.

Step 3: Make the bear's pieces

A head, a body, two ears and four arms and legs. Each one is a small variation on the ball.